His Eminence Soane Patita, Cardinal Mafi of the Catholic Church attended a special evening of sacred music in Havelu, Tonga recently.
Other guests included Her Excellency Tiffany Babbington, New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Lady Lupe Fielakepa and others.
The evening was hosted by the Nuku’alofa Tonga Central Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
DOWNLOADChoral music was provided by the Tupou Tertiary Institute (TTI) choir. A beautiful new organ for the Havelu Stake was showcased during the evening.
The TTI choir is well known in Tonga for its musical performances in song and dance. Choir members have performed cultural and religious music nationally and have also travelled overseas to New Zealand and Australia.
The Free Wesleyan Church, the sponsor of the (TTI) school, welcomed the opportunity for the choir to sing hymns of other faiths, and many in attendance commented that they felt the spirit of each hymn that was sung.
Cardinal Mafi gave a keynote address and expressed his gratitude to the organizers for the invitation.
“From beginning to the end of this program, we all heard messages of love and family,” he said.
His-Excellency-Cao-Xiaolin,-Ambassador-of-the-Peoples-Republic-to-China,-His-Eminence-Soane-Patita-Cardinal-Mafi,-Semisi-Sika,-Her-Excellency-Tiffany-Babbington,-New-Zealand-High-Commissioner-to-Tonga,-Lady-Lupe-Fielakepa-were-honored-guests-at-the-interfaith-musical-event.--Tonga,-June-2021
His Excellency Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic to China, His Eminence Soane Patita Cardinal Mafi, Semisi Sika, Member of Parliament, Her Excellency Tiffany Babbington, New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, Lady Lupe Fielakepa were honored guests at the interfaith musical event. Tonga, June 20212021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Choir director, Save Mataele, said, “I felt very happy from the beginning in preparing for this program. I really love the hymn ‘Love at Home’ as the melody fits perfectly with the words of the song. These are spiritual words with wonderful meaning.”
Semisi Sika, who organized this musical program, was also the pianist for the choir and a member of the Nuku’alofa Tonga Central Stake.
Mr Sika said, “I was pleased that this event brought people of different faiths together to listen to beautiful music and feel the spirit of Jesus Christ in the hymns of the Church.
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